North Korea sends signals with latest missile tests
Friday, 28 Mar 2008 08:08
North Korea has conducted another missile test
In Focus
The international community is continuing its efforts to talk North Korea down from its nuclear perch. Full Story
North Korea conducted a missile test earlier today, the South Korean government said on Friday.
The Yonhap news agency, quoting government officials said three or four missiles have been fired into the sea off the west coast of the Korean peninsula in what appeared to be an ordinary missile test.
North Korea has a range of missiles capable of hitting South Korea, with which it is still technically at war, as well as Japan. It is not thought to have any nuclear warheads, however, following the suspension of its nuclear weapons programme last year.
Lee Dong-kwan, spokesperson for new South Korean president Lee Myung-bak, said in response to the latest development he believes Pyongyang does not intend to sour relations with its southern neighbour.
Analysts say the move is a signal of frustration from Kim Jong-il's reclusive regime, however.
Pyongyang is becoming increasingly frustrated by the US' insistence it has failed to submit all details of its denuclearisation process by the new year deadline. North Korea said it did so in November last year.
There is also frustration over Mr Lee's new attitude to North Korea, which ends the 'sunshine policy' adopted by his predecessor in Seoul.
Yesterday North Korea expelled 11 South Korean business managers from the Kaesong industrial park, which employs over 23,000 North Korean workers in nearly 70 factories.
That move brought signs of frustration from the US government, whose national security adviser Stephen Hadley said "it's time to bring this [dispute] to conclusion" on Wednesday.
Rhetoric from North Korea appears uncompromising, however. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a North Korean organisation, said "US imperialists" were "desperately hamstringing" national reconciliation efforts.
"It is more important than anything else to maintain independence… while categorically rejecting and opposing flunkeyism and dependence upon foreign forces," KCNA added.